Mwonzora: I withdrew because of toxic political environment

MDC Alliance secretary general, Mr Douglas Mwonzora has said he withdrew from the presidential election race because the playing field was not even but tilted in favour of his rival Mr Nelson Chamisa.

He launched a scathing attack on party and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions for failing to address concerns that he had raised.

In an interview today, Mr Mwonzora said he had raised an array of irregularities that he said were rampant in the ongoing provincial congresses but the ZCTU which was superintending over the polls had failed to address them.

This, he said, had seen him withdrawing from the race.

“I am no longer able to continue participating in the current congress. I have raised my concerns to the chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission, ZCTU led by Mr Japhet Moyo but nothing was done. I therefore had to withdraw because I do not wish to see the party divided,” said Mr Mwonzora.

“I cannot continue participating in the congress under the present circumstances if the concerns I have raised remained unresolved.”

Asked why he announced that he would contest the post of the secretary general, Mr Mwonzora said the statement was based on his desire to respect those who had nominated him to that post.

Pressed to divulge the concerns he had raised Mr Mwonzora referred questions to Mr Moyo.

“There are internal but there are a number of concerns that I raised but were not addressed,” he said.

When contacted for comment, Mr Moyo confirmed receiving the letter from Mr Mwonzora but said the committee had not yet sat to deliberate on them.